I tried again using Sketchup 8 and the drawing are still to big. The 5mm holes measure 1524.0mm.

 

I got it to work. I needed to set the import options to mm.

 

Thanks Mark for a job well done. The time and effort you put into creating the OX is well appreciated. As an CNC router newbie I am feeling my way around a whole new area and can't wait until I have learned enough to stop asking stupid questions. But until then, here's another one. I have downloaded all the OX files and when I open Sketchup 2013 ( a program I'm having a bit of difficulty mastering. Another million questions there) I see the layout of all the parts. What I don't see is all the dimensions. Is there something else I have to do to maybe un-hide them? Newbies ~ ya gotta love 'em.

 

Ok it's decided, my first CNC will be a OX! Thank you very much for your work.

 

Thank you Mark. Very helpful.

 

I was watching the build video about installing the lead screw. My question is about the bearings. I was said that they need to seat in the threaded rod plates. The diameter of the recess is 16mm. So the outside diameter of the bearing needs to be 16mm and the inside to match the diameter of the lead screw. I was thinking of using 8mm. Am I correct in my take on this? Thanks

 

Decided to start up the 3D printer and print out the V slot nut block. It turned out great can wait to get started on this build

 

Guilty confession: I have a shapeoko2 gathering dust in my office, I literally haven't even opened the box to start the assembly. Really would rather build the ox as my first foray into CNC. Nice job, looks awesome.

 

That's easy with the OX. it has an open center so you can just do exactly like the guy in the video did and put the OX on legs to the height you like.

 

Let me toss out another question to anybody who can answer.
If the software program controls the spindle position, what is the reason for limit switches?
Do most of the other CNC router members here have limit switches on their machines?
Would anybody here be willing to explain how to install limit switches and how to configure them?
OK, I guess that 3 questions. My bad.

 

I have 1 switch per axis which acts as home+both limits. The optical microsensor switches get the machine positioned to within 0.001 mm. The software doesn't know where the spindle is without the switches. You could try to eyeball it and enter the coordinates but... the results won't be consistent across pieces. Another thing is the motors or software can goof up and crash the machine so limit switches act as an override. I think it's cheaper to add the switches than to be replacing stripped belts, bent parts, broken bits, etc.

I can't really explain how to set up the software. I use linuxCNC with a TB6560 board so my switches come into the board on pins 1-4 of the db9 port on the controller and then go into pin 10-14 on the parallel port and I just tell linuxcnc which pin is which axis and it's both limits + home.

 

The most common reason for fitting limit switches, not homing switches as described by The Dude, is operator fault. The operator can design a program but often, especially when first starting to design and use CNC machines get the Axis the wrong way around or, as I have found to be most common with my clients, use inches instead of millimeters.

The limit switches are there as a safeguard to stop the machine overreaching itself. Of course some software will allow you to program limits so that the coordinates that are 'over' the limit would be either ignored or an error message appears.

Whatever reason, you are best fitting homing switches AND limit switches to be safe.

Col.

 

Thanks to all of you for your helpful input.Hopfully this helped others as well.

 

No just one opto sensor per axis. Maybe mechanical switches would be harder because you'd have to trip the switch from the back but those switches are so cheap I'd just use two wired to the same input pin. As people may or may not know, optical switches are far superior to mechanical switches (ie: +/- 0.005" accuracy or better, no switch bounce, no mechanical parts to wear out). I just ripped some out of an old printer and used the reprap gen7 electronics(3 resistors and 1 LED). I hear you can buy a "kit" with everything for all axes for a mere $200 bahahaha

 

Just a thought, many commercial machines use just one switch per axis (switch is mounted in the centre of the axis travel) with two actuators, set to trip the switch, mounted at each end of the travel.
I think I prefer two switches per axis though.

Tweakie.

 

Well this build is amazing and Mark you have done a great job. This as far as I can get. Waiting on some parts. So much fun to build.

Chance

 

Thanks to you man and those great videos you put up. I didn't realize how great they were until I was using them as instructions. Can't wait to get the rest of the parts

 

@Mopar32985 Good job !

I also expect that everything is in stock to build a Routy + OX. I do not have access to a CNC. Routy will be the mother of the OX.